Trifter

After a fire devastated the town, the construction of the Cathedral of Coutances began in 1218 by the nave and was completed in 1274. The edifice is mainly characterized by the use of long straight vertical lines which makes it so typical of the Gothic Style in Normandy.  

Façade of the cathedral of Coutances.

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The 95 m long cathedral is quite impressive with its compact mass as the remains of the former XIth century Romanesque cathedral were reused and underlie walls and towers. The mighty façade with two high spires also reuses former stone-work. The grand portal offers a vast quadripartite bay itself topped by a decorative gallery with perforated rose-windows.

The cathedral of Coutances as seen from the North.

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Notre-Dame of Coutances includes a transept with an extraordinary lantern-tower and a choir with dual ambulatory where unusual six pairs of twin columns, behind the high altar, symbolize the Twelve Apostles. The side-aisled nave culminates at 28 m and is fringed with chapels. It offers seven bays punctuated by piles with multiple colonnettes.

 Crossing of the transept as seen from lantern-tower.

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Above the grand arcades of the nave, runs a graceful triforium resembling a gallery underlined by a balustrade. If the exterior of the cathedral tends to verticalism, the nave and interior enhances the horizontal lines.

In the nave, towards West.

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At the crossing of the transept, an extremely elegant lantern-tower stands over 57 m high. It is the very first one on an octagonal plan in Normandy.  The first storey aligns 16 twin arcatures, comprising a passageway for circulation. The second level proposes a comparable arrangement with simple arcatures. Two balustrades here again underline the horizontality. A stone spire was planned in 1479 but never erected. The great engineer Vauban (see my article: http://trifter.com/europe/france/stunning-seaside-strongholds-in-charente-maritime/) used to lie down on the pavement and stare at the lantern-tower. He is said to have found his inspiration from this cathedral.

The lantern-tower.

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In the lantern-tower looking East, to the choir.

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Detail of the arcatures in the lantern-tower.

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The choir that is inspired from Bourges cathedral has a seven side apse with superb flying buttresses. The twin towers of the façade rise to 80 m and can be seen from Jersey Island. During World War II, the region was very much exposed and the town of Coutances suffered a lot, the Cathedral miraculously remained scathe-less.

The six pairs of twin columns symbolizing the Twelve Apostles.

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The nave towards the lantern-tower and choir.

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The nave towards the spires as seen from the lantern-tower.

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The apse of the cathedral. The lantern-tower and flying buttresses. 

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